Loom



March 7, 1939.

P, F. T|RRELL 2,149,693

` LOOM v Filed Feb. 5, 19:57 13 sheds-sheer;

March 7,- 1939.

P. FA TIRRELL LOOM Fil'ed Feb.

5, 1937 13 ySheets-.Sheet 2 ....ln nehiulghn Fer l. Il".

I Il u IIII March 7, 1939. P. F. TIRRELL 2,149,693

LOOM

Filed Feb. 5, 1937 13 lSheets-Sheet 3 2 6 a/a 0227 4 /7Z2 7 7/ e f m w w @QMS o f 6 2 e w w oh v e l i Q 7 7 w N a 1.2/1 r/vnv1\ 6 March 7, 1939.

P. F. TIRRELL LOOM 13 sheets-sheet 4 Filed Feb.

' Mrch 7, 1939.

P. F. lTIRRELL LOOM Y Filed Feb.

5, 1937 15 sheets-sheetx,

Vid M @INI l P. F. TIRRELL March 7, 1939.

LooM

Filed Feb. 5, 1937 15 sheets-sheet e P. F. TIRRELL March 7, 1939.

LOOM

Filed Feb.

13 Sheets-Sheep '7 r In:

March '7, 1939.` v P, TIRRELL v 2,149,693

Loom

VFiled Feb. 5, 1937 15 sheets-sheet a Y f 1% F 7,6049, A95 l /ya P. F. TIRRELL March 7, 1939.

- LOOM Filed Feb. 5,1957 13 sheets-Sheet v9 March 7, 1939. P, F. TIRRELL LOOM Filed Feb. 5, 1937 15 Sheets-Sheet lO P. F. TIRRELL March 7, 1939.

Loom

13 sheets-sheet 11 Filed F'eb. 5, 1957 March 7, 1939., P. F. TIRRLL LOOM Filed Feb. 5, 1957 13 sheets-shet 13 ya L 220 Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOOM Philip F. Tirrell, Phillipsburg, N. J. Application February 5, 1937, Serial No. 124,306 12 Claims. (Cl. 139-232) This invention relates to looms and is a conventional non-shifting shuttle box means and tinuation in part of my prior application Serial which functions to effect an automatic replace- No. 122,462, led January 26, 1937. ment of an exhaustedrunning shuttle.

At the present time the textile industry in vari- A still further object iS t pIOVide a 100m llaV- ous parts of the United States, in mills employing ing means.- automatically operable upon the substandard types of non-automatic looms, is exstantial exhaustion of thread in a running shutperiencing very great diiiiculty in meeting the tle, to actuate a loom driven mechanism for decompetition offered by textile mills in other parts livering a replacement Shuttle from a 100m carof the country where cheap labor is easily obtainfied Shuttle dispensing magazine, the 100m diiVen 1o able. Many operators have found it necessary to mechanism being influenced in its operation by v1o shut down their mills as they cannot operate the pattern directing mechanismef the 100m in non-automatic looms on a basis comparable to the Such manner that the magazine Will deliver a operation of such looms in those parts of the replacement shuttle of the same variety of thread country where cheap labor conditions prevail. as that of the exhausted shuttle. f All such shutdowns and suspensions necessarily It is additionally an object to provide in an auto- 15 add to the unemployment problem. matic shuttle changing loom, a shiftable shuttle It is well known to those versed in the art that change box arranged t0 infill-ence, by itS'DOSitiOIl, in the operation of a non-automatic loom praccertain Operative phases 0f Shuttle change. tieauy constant supervision is necessary. such Numerous other objects Will be readily apparent 2o looms are equipped with mechanism automatically t0 thOSe Skilled in the alt 0f Weaving. 20 operable to stop the loom each time the thread of The disclosure 0f this application ccnStitilteS a shuttle is exhausted. The exhausted shuttle a practical embodiment of means by which the must be replaced by manual labor and beside this invention is reduced to practice. As the Struceconomic disadvantage the product of the loom tural details shown and described are capable of suffers by the lapse in continuity of weaving. variation, it is to be understood that the mecha- 25 An object of this invention is to provide mechanism herein shown and described may be varied nism capable of ready attachment to known types in its details, within the limits defined by the of non-automatic looms whereby the same are scope of the invention as claimed. converted into automatic shuttle changing looms. In the following deScIlDtiOn the head end O the Another object is to provide automatic shuttle loom is intended to mean that end of the loom 30 changing mechanism for looms that functions having the head motion control and having also selectively to replace an exhausted shuttle b-y a the conventionally designated shifting shuttle box. full shuttle of the same variety of thread and The opposite end of the loom will be referred to as without stopping or retarding the continuous the plain end. In standard types of looms it is :55 operation ofthe loom. the plain end which is provided with the conven- 35 Another object is to provide a novel type of tionally designated non-shifting shuttle box.

feeler motion for the automatic Shuttle changing In the accompanying drawings: mechanism of looms, wherein the motion is in- Figure 1 is an end elevation from the head end hibited against operation unless and until the of a well-known type of non-automatic loom pro- 40 actuating shuttle is properly positioned for a vided with the automatic shuttle changing mecha- 40 discharge pick across the raceway of the lay into nism of this invention, by which the loom is conspent shuttle receiving means. verted into an automatic loom.

Another object is to provide loom operated auto- Figure 2 isa fragmentary elevation from the matic shuttle change control means selectively rear of the loom at the head end illustrating operable in accordance with loom pattern requirecertain known structure of head motion control 45 ments. n l y for the shifting shuttle box, as modified in accord- Another object is to provide lay'carried shuttle ance with the invention. change box means shiftable thereon to receive Figure 3 is an elevation of the forward portion and expel an exhausted running shuttle and to of the plain end of the loom, illustrating details replace the same with a full shuttle in proper of the mounting and operation of the replacement 50 running alignment with the race plate of the lay, shuttle magazine and the shuttle transfer mechindependently of the shifting shuttle box mechaanism. r nism of a loom. Y Figure 4 is a front elevation of the upper por- Another object is to provide mechanism attachtion of the shifting shuttle box and the shuttle l able 'to a non-automatic loom in place of the conbox guide as equipped with certain elements of '55 the electrical feeler motion circuit selector means of the invention.

Figure 5 is a vertical section through the shifting shuttle box on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of the automatic shuttle changing mechanism as operatively associated with the plain end of the loom.

Figure 7 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line l-'l of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a vertical section through the shuttle change box as operatively associated with the shuttle dispensing portion of the replacement shuttle magazine, and illustrating the phases of transferring a replacement shuttle from the magazine and discharging an exhausted shuttle.

Figure 9 is a front elevation of the shuttle change box and its guide.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the control unit mechanism at the head end of the loom.

Figure 11 is a vertical section substantially on `the linel II-Il of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a vertical-section substantially on the line |2-l2 of Figure 11.

Figure 13 isV a schematic illustration of the feeler motion control circuit as associated with the shifting shuttle box.

Figure 14 is a fragmentary section substantially on the line l 1 -I4 of Figure 10.

Figure 15 is an enlarged detail view of the structure shown at the upper left of Figure 1.

Figure 16 is an enlarged detail view of the rocker iron structure `shown at the lower left of Figure 1. Y

Figure 17 is a fragmentary elevation substantially at the mid-section of Figure 6, but with parts broken away for clearness of detail.

Figure 1 illustrates the head end of a wellknown` type of non-automatic loom, such as shown in my said prior co-pending application, having the main frameZU which supports the head arch 2l provided with the head motion seat 22. The frame supports the loom crank shaft 23 which `has xed thereto a hand wheel 24 for manual operation of the loom when desired. The crank shaft carries the head motion drive gear 25 and is further provided with the usual mechanism (not shown) for operating the oscillating lay 26 through the connecting rod means 21. As shown at the left of Figure 1, the bottom front of the main frame mounts theV conventional rocker arm 28 seating the lower end of the shifting shuttle box guide post 29 which has iixed to its upper end the shuttle box guide 39. -An expansion spring 3| is coiled loosely about the entire length of, the shuttle box Vguide post 29 in abutting engagement against a post-carried fixed collar 32 at its upper endV and against a foot plate element 32 at its lower end. The shuttle box guide is rigidly attached in the usual manner, as best shown in Figure 4, to the adjacent end of the lay 26 so that the shuttle box guide is carried by the lay and, ofcourse, moves with it, the lower end pivoting with the rocker iron 28. Y The shifting shuttle box 33,V detailed in Figures 4 and 5, is adapted to reciprocate vertically within the i'lxed guide 33, its operatingrod 34 being slidable at its lower Vend through bracket means 34 in the rocker iron 28. At its lupper end the shuttle box operating rod 34 has a xed connection with the shuttle box and is provided throughout a portion of its length with a coiled lifting spring 35 which bears loosely at its upper end against a rod carried stop member 36 and at its lower end, see Fig. 1, against a sleeve 3l guide.

slidably mounted on the rod and having an integral lateral ear 3B to which is attached the lower end of a lift rod 39. The upper end of rod 39 is attached pivotally to one end of a chain 40 trained over an idler 4l carried by a depending bracket 42 xed to theshuttle box The pull chain is, in the conventional manner, trained over an idler (not shown) carried by the frame 2i) and continues upwardly in connection with the intermediate, pull rod 43 connected at its upper end to the chain 44 which passes over an idler i5 at the top of the frame 20 and thence vertically upward over an idler i6 bracketed on the rear of the Yhead motion seat 22. From the Vidler 4S the pull chain 4G is led to a shiftable idler 4l forming a part of the head motion and over which it is trained to connect at its end to an oscillatoryY lever 48 of the head motion as inV Fig. 2. The lever 48 has a pivotal connection 49 at its lower end with a depending bracket 5U forming a part of. the

headV motion seat 22.

As the head motion is operated in accordance Y with pattern; the flexible connection comprising the chains 49 and 44 and the rods 39 and 43 Vis Y pulled up or lowered in order to effect a vertical shifting of the shifting shuttle box 33 relative to the race plate'l of the lay, as in conventional practice. The lifting and lowering is effected by movement of the oscillatory lever 48 and the shiftable idler 4l in the head motion. As the flexible connection from the head motion is operated to elevate the shifting shuttle box the lift rod 39 is drawn upwardly to compress'the lift spring 35 which in turn, acting against the abutment 36, transmits the lifting force to the shuttle box operating rod St which rises through its support in the rocker iron 23. The operating rodv 34 of the shifting shuttle box carries at its lower end within the rocker iron structure 28 the foot plate 32 engaging the lower end of the spring 3| on Vthe shuttle box guide post 29 so that `this spring is compressed as the shuttle box rod 34 rises. As the ilexible connection from the head motion is lowered, the expanding action of. the spring 3l through its connection with the lower end of the shuttle box rod operates to urge the shuttle box downwardly to its lowermost position. Y Y

All of the mechanism thus far described is conventional to non-automatic looms and forms no part of the present invention except as it enters into the general combination. The structure, being of a. known type, is not herein illustrated in minute detail. It is more clearly shown in my said prior copending application and particular reference is made to Figure 2 thereof and to the descriptive matter dealing with the mounting and operation of the shifting shuttle box. It should here be mentionedrthat for clarity of detail in illustrating the novel subject matter, much of the conventional loom structure and the operating parts thereof have not been shown in the drawings. Also, in order to aid in illustration, the shuttle box guide post 29 is broken away in Figure 1 through its intermediate portion to disclose the shuttle box operating rod 34 which, in turn, Yis broken away at its upper portion in Figure l. However, Figures 4 and 5taken in connection with Figure 1 make the structure entirely clear.

Further with reference to Figure 1, it will be seen that the loom frame at the lower rear head end mounts a control unit 52, the details of which are illustrated in Figures 10, 11, 12and 14, which is: operated by a chain drive 1.5.3 from .a sprocket 54 fixed tothe bottom shaft 55 vof the loom.

VThrough'the medium of connecting rods 56 and 51 the control yunit mechanism functions :to shift the shuttle change box .|23, Fig. 8, at the plain end of the `loom and alsoxto operate 4the replacement shuttle magazine in ayselective manner for delivery of a replacement shuttle of the required thread variety, as determined 'by the thread variety of the exhausted shuttle. to be replaced. As shown in Fig. 1, the connecting rod 51 is influenced in its operating cycle by means of a lift rod 58 connected Vat its upper end to a chain 59 trained over an idler 60 carried by'a bracket 6| secured to the head motion seat 22. The other end of the chain 59 as shown in Fig. 2y has connection with a rod 62 which, in turn, has Aa pivotal end connection 63 with an attaching element 64 carried by a lever 55'. The element 64is adjustable in a longitudinal slot 66provided Yin lthe lever 55, through which the element rides in effecting a desired adjustment. At itsl upper end the lever 65 is provided with an attaching sleeve 61 that takes" over the pivot lug 49 of the head motion control lever 48, it being rigidly secured thereto in a desired adjusted position by means of a suitable fastening, such as'V a set screw 68, so that the levers 48 andV 65 form, in effect, a continuous rigid lever that is fulcrumed intermediate its ends on the pivot 49. As the head motion operates in accordance with loom pattern requirements the lever 48' will be rocked on its pivot 49' and will cause a corresponding movement of the lever 65 to actuate the lift connections 58, 59 and 62 to raise or lower the connecting rod 51 extending from the control unit 52. The connecting rod 51 has at its forward end a pivotal connection 69 to a crank 1l) xedly clamped to the head end of a shaft 1l which extends longitudinally of the loom frame from end to end to cooperate with mechanism hereinafter described and which functions for selective operation of the shuttle replacement magazine. Due to its pivotal end connection 69 the connecting rod 51 is free to oscillate in a limited vertical arc at its opposite end within the control of the unit 52, as will be later described.

In the position of parts as shown in Figure l the lay is at its center forward position, at which point a fixed electrical contact 12, see Fig-ure 4, carried by the box guide 3l)l of the shifting box 33, is in electrical contact with a flexible contact arm 13 suitably mounted in terminal post meansv 14 xedly secured to an appropriate portion of the loom frame. 'Ihe two contacts 12-113, comprise a lay controlled switch incorporated in the feeler motion control circuit system of thel shifting shuttle box. The circuit includes a governing electro-magnetic means 15, such as a solenoid, mounted on the control unit 52 and which operates to establish a driving connection between the loom power and the mechanism of the l control unit. f

The shifting shuttle box 33 carries four vertically aligned shuttle cells 16, 11, 18, and 19 as shown from top to bottom in Figs. 4 and 5. The respective cells are provided with the usual binders 80, 8|, 82 and B3 normally urged inwardly into each cell by the spring fingers 84, 85, 86, and 81, the binders being pivoted at one end to the shuttle box frame and having their opposite ends, adjacent the lay 2E, free to move in a limited lateral arc to cooperate in a known manner with the usual loom protector rod means (not shown) for stopping the loom if no shuttle is in the Yparticular cell which is aligned with the race plate of the lay when the lay reaches center forward position. Such means is conventional to standard types of looms and a showing f its details has been eliminated for purposes of clarity.

The various cells of the shifting shuttle box carry shuttles provided with thread that differs in variety or characteristics from that of each of the other shuttles. For convenience of description it will be assumed that the top cell 16 carries a shuttle B having a quill of blue thread, the second lower cell 11 carries a shuttle O of orange thread, the third lower cell 18 carries a shuttle G of green thread and the bottom cell 19 carries a shuttle R of red thread. In the embodiment of the loom herein described the shifting shuttle box is adapted to be operated with all four cells but actually operates with only the upper two cells. In the position of parts as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 it will be seen that the shuttle box is in position to pernit a pick of the orange thread, the cell 11 containing the orange shuttle O being properly aligned with the race plate I of the lay.

Each cell of the shifting shuttle box is included in the electrical circuit of an electrical feeler motion, best shown on Figure 13, by which, upon the substantial exhaustion of an active shuttle, and provided it is in proper position with respect to the race plate of the lay, the mechanism for effecting an automatic replacement of the exhausted shuttle is set into operation. It should be here noted that in the four cell shifting shuttle box operation herein described, only the upper two cells and 11 containing respectively the blue and orange shuttles cooperate with the feeler motion to bring about automatic replacement of their shuttles when exhausted.

As shown in Figure 13, the feeler motion circuit is from a source of power such as a current supply means 89, through wire Q5, through the solenoid 15 in the control unit 52, see Figure l, thence through wire Si through frame carried contact ringer 13 cooperating with the shuttle ocx guide contact 12 which is mounted on an insulating support 92, thence through wire 53 to a. circuit selector 94 pivotally supported at one end upon and electrically insulated from `the shuttle box guide 3G. tor is rprovided along its top and bottoni edge `with upper and lower spring contact fingers and Q5 which are mutually electrically connected ,through the body of the selector 5t.

The body of the circuit selector 54, Figs.4 and 5, is of suitable insulating material and is loosely secured at one end over a pivot pin 91 carried by and extending laterally forward from a supporting bracket 98 rigidly attached to the shuttle box guide 38. The outer end of the pivot pin S1 has threaded thereon acap nut SQ providing an abutment for one end of an expansion spring E58 coiled about the pin 91 and bearing at its other end against the selector 84; the spring normally urging the selector into frictional binding gagement with a lateral enlargement i8! of the bracket 9B, so that the selector arm 84 tends to remain set in the position to which it is moved.

The shuttle box 33 carries spaced contact means for cooperation with the selector @ffl in establishing the feeler `motion circuit selectively through certain cells of theshuttle box in accordance with the various positions assumed by the box duringv its operation. In the illustrated ernbodiment this means comprises a forwardly ex- The opposite end portion of the selec- Vtending arm |02, see Fig. 5, rigidly secured at its inner end to the abutment head 36 of the shuttle box operating rod 34 and having its outer end provided with a depending flange portion |03 spaced horizontally from the selector bracket 98 and substantially in a common vertical plane therewith. The verticaldepending flange |63 is provided with a pair of spaced contact pins |34 and |05 arranged in vertical alignment and electrically insulated from the flange by means ci insulator bushings |06 passed through the flange and which provides supports for the contact pins. 'I'hese pins extend in parallel spaced relation forwardly of the shuttle box in a position to receive therebetween the spring contact nger carrying portion of the selector 94. At its inner end the upper contact pin |84 is in electrical connection through the wire |01 with the metal binder Sil of the topmost or blue shuttle box cell i6. while the lower Contact' pin |05 is electrically connected at its'inner end through the wire 53 with the metal binder 8| of the second lower or orange shuttle box cell Tl. It is apparent that when the contact linger @6 of the selector 9c is in contactwith the lower pin |35, as shown in schematic plan in Figure 13, the circuit will be established through the selector to the binder of the orange shuttle cell 'il which, in the position shown in the drawings, is aligned with the raceY plate of the lay. Each shuttle box cell is electrically grounded upon metallic elements of the shuttle box so that a return is providedfor the circuit due to the fact that thersource of current 89 is also grounded on one side of the circuit.

It should be here stated that the shuttles are each provided with means (not shown) whereby upon substantial exhaustion of the thread an electro-conductive area is exposed to establish electrical contact between the electro-conductive elements of the respective cell binders and the grounded cell walls. There are many` known types of such shuttle construction and as the particular details thereof form no part of the present invention, except insofar as they enter into the general combination, such details are not illustrated. Likewise, the particular means or construction for establishing electrical Contact through the cell binders Vto the shuttles can be embodied in a large variety of Structural forms. It is immaterial what particular structure is adopted and the present invention comprehends any means for establishing such a contact. the illustrated embodiment it is to be understood that where the contact is directed through the binders these elements are appropriately electrically insulated from the frame work of theV shuttle box at all points where electrical contact might occur. Figure 5 illustrates that the binder stop rod carries insulator sleeves s against which the binders abut.

The lay controlled switch 12-13 closes Yonly when the lay comes to center forward position. Even though a detected shuttle will .close a portion of the feeler motion circuit through the particular shuttle Vcell affected before the lay reaches center forward, the circuit cannot be `completed until the lay controlled switch closes,

so that there 4can be no lshuttle change until the exhausted shuttle cell is properly positioned with respect to the race plate of the lay. By reason of the selector element 94, even'though the exhausted shuttle containing cell should have been shifted from race plate aligning position during a subsequent shift of the shuttle box under the head motion control, when the lay comes to InV center forward position and the lay controlled switch closes, there will be no actuation of the shuttle change mechanism unless the selector 94 is in contact .with the particular contact pin |04 o r |05 that is in circuit with the exhausted shuttle cell. This operation will be explained in more detail hereinafter.

As shown in Fig. 6 the plain end ofthe loom is provided with the means for receiving and dischargingV exhausted shuttles and for automatically replacing the same with shuttles of the same thread variety. This means comprises a replacement shuttle magazine H5, similar in all major respects to the replacement shuttle maga- Zine disclosed in my said prior pending application, appropriately supported in xed relationshipV on a channel support ||6 rigidly attached at one end to the breast piecev ||1 of the loom frame and extending longitudinally from the frame. AIn this embodiment the non-shifting shuttle box conventional to non-automatic looms is removed and inl place thereof is substituted a change shuttle box |23 of peculiar design. As shown in Figures 3, 6 and 9, this change box comprises a guide ||8 having a supporting' post H9 mounted at its lower end in the rocker iron |20. Also mounted in the rocker iron is the shuttle box operating rod |2| having its lower end vertically slidable through a bracket |22 of the rocker iron and having its upper end passed through the guide ||8 into a xed connection with the box |23 which is mounted for vertical reciprocation within the guide H8. As in the case of the shifting shuttle box 33, the change box |23, through its guide H0, is fixed to thej adjacent end of the lay 26 soithat it is oscillated on Vitsrocker arm pivot in accordance with movement of the lay. The change boxv |23'is shiftable relative to the lay for the purpose of receiving replacement shuttles delivered from the magazine and for discharging exhausted shuttles. The Vertical shifting movementcf the box is accomplished from the control unit 52 by means of a sleeve shaft |24, Figs. 6 and 10, extending longitudinally of the frame to project beyond each end thereof and having end bearings |25 carried by bracket means |26 appropriately secured to the main frame. At the head end of the loom, as seen in Figure 1, the sleeve shaft |24 has rigidly secured thereto a Vcrank |21 having a pivotal connection |28 with'one end of the connecting rod 56, the Otherend of the rod being operatively associated with' the mechanism of the control unit 572. At the plain end of the loom, as seen in Figures 3 and 6, the end of the sleeve shaft |24 has rigidly attached thereto a forwardly extending crank |29 having its outer free end in connection with a lift chain |30 which is in turn connected at its lower end to a hanger |3| to which is secured a depending lift rod |32 attached at its lower end to a lateral stud |33'carried by'a sleeve |34 rigidly connected to the bottom end of the shuttle box operating rod |2| and having a lateralapertured lug |35 slidably engaging the lower end portion of the shuttle box guide supporting rod H9. An expansion spring |36 is coiled about the entire length of the shuttle box guide rod H9 with its lower end loosely bearing against the lifting lug |35 of the shuttlelbox operating rod |25 and with its upper end loosely bearing against abutment means |31 at the point of connection of the post H9 with the shuttle box guide. From thisconstruction it will beV apparent that when the sleeve Vshaft |24 is rocked in a clockwise direction underl the influenceof the connecting rod 56 at the head end of the loom, therank arm |29 at the plain end of the sleeve shaft will be elevated `counterclockwise to elevate the chain |30 and cause a vertical lift of the shuttle box operating rod |2| against the tension of the spring |36 on the shuttle box guide post, 'the spring being compressed by the upward':sliding movement of the bearing lug which is fixed to the lower end of the box operating rod |21.

'I'he box operating rod is provided With stop collar means |38 above the rocker iron bracket |22Y for cooperation therewith to limit the extent of As best shown in Figures? and 8, the change box |23 is'provided with an upper cell |39 and a lower cell |40, with the lower cell having an open bottom spaced above a forwardly and/down'- wardly inclined shuttle delector plate |`4`| down which shuttles, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 8, are delivered by gravity to'a spent shuttle receptacle |42 suitably supported by bracket extensions from the framework supporting the magazine ||5.

The rear wall |43, see Fig. 9, of the' change box |23 extends appreciably above the horizontal plane of the top of the front wall andV is provided substantially throughout its longitudinal' extent with an attached keeper bar |44 secured to the inner' face of the wall by means of suitable fastening elements |45'. Atv its lay end the keeper bar is curved downwardly' and inwardly from its upper edge to its bottom in order to facilitate the entry of. shuttlesinto the cell |39 as they leave the race plate ofthe lay. The keeper bar |44 functions also as a buffer for receiving shuttles dispensed from the shuttle replacementv magazine, as will be later described.

In the position of parts shown in Figures '1 and 9, the-change box |23 is in its lower position, which is its normal operating position with mzprespect to the race-plate of the lay, the upper cell |39 being aligned with the race plate to receive the active shuttle and return the same across the lay by the operation of the plain end picker stick |45. At its far end with rei'spect tothe lay, the front wall of the box isV provided with a cross head |41 vertically slidable in the cross-head guide |48 carried by the adjacent end frame of the shuttle box guide ||8 Between the cross-head |41 and the other end of the box its front wall is of skeleton formation and consists of an end block l|49 pivoted tobe rocked in a vertical plane yon a pivot stud |50 journaled in the'end block and in the ad? jacent cross head |41; the pivot stud extending yEwell into the end block. The block |49,`see Fig. 8,

is provided with an upper shuttle cell wall section |5| and a lower shuttle cell wall v*section |52, the two wall sections being disposed in planes thatV intersectV at an obtuse angle, the pivot stud |58 being disposed substantially at the apex of the angle.' The upper wall section |5| 'carries the usual shuttle binder |53 that is normally urged inwardlyof the wall by its'actuator spring |54', and the-lower' wall section |52`is likewise ''provided with a shuttle binder |55 associated with its actuator spring |56, the two vsprings normally urging the binders inwardly of the walls for firm clamping engagement with shuttles when positioned within' thevv cells as indicated by the dotted lineshowing of Figure. The outer or front face of the upper section of theend block |49 is ,provided with a plane portion` |51the plane of which parallels the, plane of the front wall section |5'|, and the bottoni portion of the end block has its outer ornfront face also provided with a plane portion 58 that is parallel with the plane of the lower front wall |52the plane portions |51 and |58 intersecting at an obtuse angle and providing bearing surfaces constituting cams which engage with aL roller |59 loosely journaledr on a stub shaft |60 fixed in a lateral bracket |B| which is secured to the adjacent end portion ofthe box yguide frame ||8. It will be obvious that as the change box |23 is shifted, one and theothelr of the cam surfaces |51 or |58 will engage with the roller |59 to swing the end block on its pivot stud Aand bring the' particular wall section of that portion of the end blockthus engaged into vertical po-r sition with respect to the box, so that it completes the formation of the shuttlereceiving'cell.

As shown in Figure '7, the change box |23 is at its lower position, with the floor of' thek upper cell |39 arranged at the level of the race plate of the lay and with the upper front wall section of the end block |49 parallelito the rear wall of the box;,the binder |53 projecting into ther interior of the cell to engage a shuttle when it arrives in the box. The upper cell |39 constitutes the normal running cell, its.,k rear wall being slotted for the lreception therethrough of the shuttle driving element |82, operated in the usual manner bythe picker stick |46.` Y

Figure 8 illustrates the position assumed by the change box |23 when it is elevated to its upper position. the roller |59 engages the cam portion |58 to rock the end plate |49 on its pivot stud and move thev lower shuttle cell wall'section |52 into vertical position so thatI its binder |55'extends inwardly of the box in position to engage an incomingY shuttle. The under face of the lower wall section is'providedwith an attached, lon-V gitudinally extending, inwardlyl projecting plate L63" which providesa flooringledge defining the bottom of theY cell |40; VLIt should be noted that the ledge"|63 extends only YSlightly inwardly of thebox cell, In this raised position of the change' box the upper front wall portion |5| vwill be positioned at an outward angle with respect to the box, as shown in Figure 8, so that the wall portion 15|, andV its binder itsgciears we upper..

cell; being inclined upwardly and outwardly therefrom to act as a shuttle deilecting and transfer means for a replacementI shuttle delivered by the ejecting mechanism of the replacement magazine, later to be described. Spent shuttle deflector plate 14| is provided at the lay end with an angled guide |64 so positioned as tot As the box rises'in its guide 35 dispense shuttles from the magazine.

designated as at I5, is of the dispensing-type and embodies a casing |65V provided with a pair of shuttle stack holders |66 and |61 disposed side by side longitudinally of the casing andV adapted 5., to be moved vertically therein in separately defined paths by means of a toggle lever |68 fulcrumed intermediate its ends on a pivot |69 mounted on the exterior face of the casing at each end thereof. The ends of each lever |68 10.. are connected by links |10 having pivotal connections at their upper ends with pivot studs |1| extending longitudinally of the casing from ears |12 secured to the'upper edge portions of the shuttle stack holders. When the lever |63 is.

15A rocked on its pivot the pair'oi shuttle stack holders will be shifted accordingly, one being elevated simultaneously with the loweringV of the other.A

Each shuttle stack holder |61 and |66 contains a stack of shuttles of the same thread variety.

2|). ForV purposes of illustration it will be assumed that the shuttles carried by the vertically slidable holder |61 are of the orange variety while the shuttles carried by the holder |66 are of the blue variety. In Figure 1 only the lowermost 2.5`shuttles of each stack are shown, these being designated respectively as O and B denoting orange and blue.

The rear wall of the casing is apertured longitudinally at its bottom to provide a shuttle dis- 30 charge port |13 and the front wall of the casing 40 rear wall of the magazine casing at each Vend is a dispensed shuttle receiving holder |15, the two holders cooperating longitudinally of the Y magazine to grip and retain therein a shuttle as dispensed from the magazine by the operation 45r of the slide |14. The rear wall of the magazine casing is also provided with a vertically operable plunger |16 mounted at the lower end of an operating rod |11 guided through a bearing |18 pro-V videdron the casing wall and normally biased to elevated position by means of an expansion spring |19 coiled loosely about the shank of the rod |11 between the top of the bearing |18 and a stop washer |80 maintained at the top of the shank by means of a cotter key 8|. The plunger |16 is adapted in the operation of the mechanism,

Vto be depressed vertically down through the space between the shuttle holders |15 into engagement with a shuttle contained therein, as illustrated by dotted lines in Figure 8, whereby to transfer the 60 pdispensed shuttle directly downward onto the inclined deilector and guide provided by the upper wall section |5| of the change box |23 when the same is in its elevated position to receive a replacement shuttle. 'I'he downward movement of 65 the plunger |16 transfers the dispensed shuttle to the top cell |39 o-f the box |23 which, it will be understood, has risen to its elevated position prior to the replacement shuttle transfer. As the replacement shuttle is pushed downwardly it will mbe moved laterally into proper position in the cell |39 by reason of the inclined open wall section |5| of the box.

'Ihe rear wall of the magazine casing carries a longitudinally disposed lever |82 fulcrumed be- 75l tween its ends and having a pivotal connection Vthe loom frame.

at one end with'the shankV of the plunger |16 and having its other or free end extending beyond the end of the casing toward the lay in operative engagement with actuating mechanism to be described.- 'I'he rear wall of the ymagazine casing also supports a laterally directed guide plate |83 in horizontal alignment with the top` of the shuttle discharge port |13 and which extends outwardly the length ofthe respective dispensed shuttle holders |15. The plunger |16 works vertically through the guide plate |83 in its operation of transferring a dispensed shuttle to theV upper cell of the change box. The dispensed shuttle holders |15 are attached to the inner faces of supports |86 secured to the casing ends by means of suspension arms |65 pivotally suspended from the upper front edge of the casing at each end.

lThe shuttle stack holders of the magazine are selectively operable toy position Ythe lowermost shuttle of a selected stack in horizontal alignment with the dispensing slide |14 and the shuttle discharge port |13, so that upon operation of the slide a replacement shuttle of the desired variety of thread is dispensed from the magazine to the dispensed shuttle holding means |15 for subsequent transfer to= the upper cell of the change box. The shifting of the shuttle stack within the magazine is dependent upon the thread variety ofthe exhausted shuttle detected in the shifting shuttle box 33 which initiates, through the feeler motion, the automatic shuttle replacement.V As illustrated in Figure 7, the magazine is arranged to dispense shuttles of orange thread, this being thenormal operating position of the magazine shuttle stacks, theV blue shuttle holder |66 being elevated to permit passage of orange shuttles thereunder under the influence of the dispensing slide |14. Y

The position of the change box |23 determines theoperation of the magazine. When this box is in its normal running position, that is when it is lowered with its upper cell |39 aligned with the race plate of the lay, the magazine cannot be actuated to dispense a shuttle.

The mechanism for operating the shuttle dipspensing slide and transfer plunger of the maga- V zine is sho-wn in Figs. 3, 6 and '1 and consists of a driven push rod |86 loosely slidable in a frame carried hanger |81 for driven reciprocation forwardly and rearwardly of the loom. 'I'he inner end ofV the' pusher rod |86 is free, being unconnected to any element of the loom. At its outer orfront end the rod |86 has a pivotal connection with the short arm |88 of a bell crank lever fulcrumed on a pivot shaft |89 having a supporting bearing in a bracket flange |90 secured to The other arm |9| of the bell crank lever is vpivotally connected with a pivot pin |92 carried in a bearing |93 in a rocker arm |94 which parallels the bell crank lever arm |9| and which at its inner end is fulcrumed on the shaft |89. The relatively wide bearing provided by the rocker arm |94 with its bearing |93 permits the use of a relatively long pivot pin |92 which, as shown in Figure 6, extends appreciably beyond opposite Sides of the' bearing |93; The shuttle dispensing slide of theV magazine as well as theV transfer plunger are both operated from the bell crank lever |88.

At the lay end of the pivot pin |92, see Fig. 6,

pivotal connection at one end with the pin |92 and at its other end a pivotal connection with Vthere is provided an adjustable link |95 having avvpivot pin |96 carried by one end of a driving 75 rocker |91 which is fulcrumed at its other end on a. shaft |98 supported in a pair of upstanding bearing lugs |99 secured to the frame supporting channel member ||6. The driving rocker |91 carries an adjustable thrust member 200, such as a set screw that is adapted, at a element 200k of the driving rocker certain operating position of the driving rocker, to bear downwardly upon a lever 20| that is, as shown in Fig. l, fulcrumed at its outer end to the pivot shaft |98. The point at which the thrust engages the lever 20| to depress the same occurs inwardly of the loom with respect to the shaft |93, so that end of the magazinecasing, the inner end of the previously stated, fulcrumed intermediate its |19.coiled about the plunger shank |11.

lever 203 being pivotally connected to the upper end of a depending lifting link 205 whereof the lower end is operatively connected to the actuating lever |82 at-its end. The lever |82 is, as

ends on the rear wall of the magazine casing with its inner end pivotally connected to the shank of the shuttle transfer plunger |16.

By virtue ofthe' connections just described lit will be apparent that when the bell crank arm |9| is actuated in a clockwise direction with respect to Figure 1, the link |95 will in turn operate the driving rocker |91 to rock the same on itsfulcrum |98 to bring the thrust element 200 into depressing engagement with the lever 20| which, upon being depressed, pulls down upon the' link 202, rocking the lever 203 on its fulcrum to effect a lifting pull upon the link 205 which in turn elevates the end of the. plunger actuating lever |82 to rock the same on its fulcrum and depress the plunger |16 to transfer the shuttle in the shuttle holding means |15, the plunger being depressed against the tension of the spring When actuating force on the bell crank arm |9I is released the spring |19 acts by its expansion to return the parts to their normal positions.

The mechanism for actuating the shuttle dispensing slide of the magazine, best shown. in Figures 6 and '1, comprises an adjustable link 206 pivotally connected at its outer end to the bell crank lever actuated pivot pin |02 and having its inner end pivotally connected to a stud 201 mounted in a crank arm 208 xed at its inner end to a shaft 209 journaled in a pair of supports 2li), 2|| carried by the mounting frame work of the channel support H6.

The attached end of the crank 208 provides a stop shoulder for one end of a coiled expansion spring 2|2 disposed around the shaft 209 and bearing at its other end against a clutch member 2 I 3 keyed to the' shaft and slidable longitudinally thereon under the inuence of the spring 2|2.

" A clutch me-mber 2|4 loose on the shaft, and

retained thereon by the cotter key 2|5, is provided with a radial groove which receives the lower end of the ejector slide operating leverI 2|6 which has its upper end extended through a longitudinal slot provided in the ejecting slide guide' bar 2 |1 into the seating recess of the slide block 218 to which the ejector slide |14 is connected for reciprocation over the guide bar 2|1. Within the block the end of the actuating lever i, fis provided with aroller 2 |9 bearing against the walls ofthe block seat. From this construction it will be apparent, viewing Figure '1, that a clockwise rotation of the shaft 209 will, through the spring engaged clutch element, actuate the lever 2|?.` to move the shuttle ejecting slide |14 through the magazine to discharge the shuttle O to the dispensed shuttle holding means |15. At the conclusion of its ejecting stroke the slide I14 is returned to retracted position by means of a pull strap 220 connected at one end to the sliding clutch element 2|3 and at' its other end to a spring pulley 22| journaled in the support 2| I. As the lever 2|6 is rocked to operate the ejector |14 the pulley spring is unwound so that when actuating force on the shaft 209 is released the pulley spring rewinds the strap 200 to return the parts totheir initial position.

The structure described in the preceding paragraph is identical With the corresponding structure disclosed in my said prior (zo-pending application.

Having thus described the operating linkage and mechanism for actuating the shuttle ejecting slide |14 and the shuttle transferring plunger |16 from the crank lever |88, the means for actuating the bell crank lever will noW be described. This means includes the loose driven actuator rod |86, previously described.

In the normal movement of the change box |23 with the lay the actuator rod |86 lies dormant, being inclined inwardly and downwardly with respect to its pivotal connection with the bell crank lever |88. At a point adjacent the operating zone of the box the rod |86 carries a fixed abutment member 222, substantially in the form of a rectangular collar, adjustable longitudinally of the rod by means of a set screw 223. The rear face of the abutment member is formed as at 224 for interengagement with a portion of the -bottom frame bar of the change box guide H9.

Normally in the arc of oscillation of the box guide H8 as it moves with the lay, there is a clearance between the bottom frame bar of the guide and the uppermost portion of the rod carried abutment 222 so that there is no possibility of these elements becoming engaged. As the box is elevated by movement of the rock shaft |24 under the influence of the control unit, as previously described, the lift arm 225 which is fixedly clamped at its lower end to the rock shaft |24 and which extends at an incline upwardly and forwardly therefrom to underlie the actuator rod |86 at its upper end, is rocked counterclockwise with respect to Figure 3 whereby to engage the rod |86 and elevate the same; the movement being sufficient to interpose the abutment 222 in the path of travel of the bottom frame bar of the box guide H8. This lifting of the rod |86 occurs, of course, while the lay isat a rear position so that the box guide ||8 is then disposed rearwardly of the abutment 222. As the lay, and the lay carried change box guide, moves forward, the front edge of the bottom frame bar of the guide will engagev the portion 220 of the rod carried abutment whereby to drive the rod |86 forwardly to rock the bell crank lever |88 on its pivot shaft |89 and actuate the shuttle ejecting slide of the magazine and the transfer plunger as previously described. At the conclusion of the actuating stroke the box guide moves rearwardly to disengage the abutment 222 whereupon the rod |88 drops back to its initial position so that the abutment is clear of the guide until again elevated.

The operation of the means for shifting the 

